Rivals rating: 2 stars (out of junior college, not rated out of high school)

College: Kent State

Julian Edelman, Patriots

High school: Woodside (Calif.)

Rivals rating: 2 stars (out of junior college, not rated out of high school)

College: Kent State

Photo: Matt Rourke, Associated Press

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Malcolm Butler, Patriots

High school: Vicksburg (Miss.)

Rivals rating: There is no listing for Butler in Rivals' database, coming out of high school or junior college.

College: West Alabama

Malcolm Butler, Patriots

High school: Vicksburg (Miss.)

Rivals rating: There is no listing for Butler in Rivals' database, coming out of high school or junior college.

College: West Alabama

Photo: Kathy Willens, AP

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Darrelle Revis, Patriots

High school: Aliquippa (Pa.)

Rivals rating: 3 stars

College: Pitt

Darrelle Revis, Patriots

High school: Aliquippa (Pa.)

Rivals rating: 3 stars

College: Pitt

Photo: Christian Petersen, Getty Images

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Chris Matthews, Seahawks

High school: Dorsey (Los Angeles)

Rivals rating: Not rated out of high school, four stars coming out of junior college

College: Kentucky

Chris Matthews, Seahawks

High school: Dorsey (Los Angeles)

Rivals rating: Not rated out of high school, four stars coming out of junior college

College: Kentucky

Photo: Matt York, Associated Press

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Doug Baldwin, Seahawks

High school: Gulf Breeze (Fla.)

Rivals rating: 2 stars

College: Stanford

Doug Baldwin, Seahawks

High school: Gulf Breeze (Fla.)

Rivals rating: 2 stars

College: Stanford

Photo: Getty Images

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Brandon Browner, Patriots

High school: Sylmar (Calif.)

Rivals rating: 3 stars

College: Oregon State

Brandon Browner, Patriots

High school: Sylmar (Calif.)

Rivals rating: 3 stars

College: Oregon State

Photo: Andy Lyons, Getty Images

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Jermaine Kearse, Seahawks

High school: Lakes (Lakewood, Wash.)

Rivals rating: 3 stars

College: Washington

Jermaine Kearse, Seahawks

High school: Lakes (Lakewood, Wash.)

Rivals rating: 3 stars

College: Washington

Photo: JOSHUA TRUJILLO, SEATTLEPI.COM

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Danny Amendola, Patriots

High school: The Woodlands

Rivals rating: 3 stars

College: Texas Tech

Danny Amendola, Patriots

High school: The Woodlands

Rivals rating: 3 stars

College: Texas Tech

Photo: Matt Slocum, Associated Press

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Ricardo Lockette, Seahawks

High school: Monroe (Albany, Ga.)

Rivals rating: Lockette is not listed in Rivals' database.

College: Fort Valley State

Ricardo Lockette, Seahawks

High school: Monroe (Albany, Ga.)

Rivals rating: Lockette is not listed in Rivals' database.

College: Fort Valley State

Photo: JORDAN STEAD, SEATTLEPI.COM

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Brandon LaFell, Patriots

High school: Lamar

Rivals rating: 3 stars

College: LSU

Brandon LaFell, Patriots

High school: Lamar

Rivals rating: 3 stars

College: LSU

Photo: Matt Slocum, STF

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Michael Bennett, Seahawks

High school: Alief Taylor

Rivals rating: 2 stars

College: Texas A&M

Michael Bennett, Seahawks

High school: Alief Taylor

Rivals rating: 2 stars

College: Texas A&M

Photo: Gregory Payan, Associated Press

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Cliff Avril, Seahawks

High school: Clay (Green Cove Springs, Fla.)

Rivals rating: 3 stars

College: Purdue

Cliff Avril, Seahawks

High school: Clay (Green Cove Springs, Fla.)

Rivals rating: 3 stars

College: Purdue

Photo: Getty Images

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Bobby Wagner, Seahawks

High school: Colony (Ontario, Calif.)

Rivals rating: 2 stars

College: Utah State

Bobby Wagner, Seahawks

High school: Colony (Ontario, Calif.)

Rivals rating: 2 stars

College: Utah State

Photo: AP

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K.J. Wright, Seahawks

High school: Olive Branch (Miss.)

Rivals rating: 3 stars

College: Mississippi State

K.J. Wright, Seahawks

High school: Olive Branch (Miss.)

Rivals rating: 3 stars

College: Mississippi State

Photo: Getty Images

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The fault in their recruiting stars: Unheralded Super Bowl standouts

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National Signing Day, arguably the most hectic, high-profile day on the college football calendar, is Wednesday.

There will be much talk about how many stars each player gets coming out of high school, with plenty of discussion about the number of four- and five-star athletes a school gets.

Recruiting, however, is an inexact science. That was on full display during the Super Bowl, when plenty of players who were underrated or completely ignored coming out of high school played key roles.

Just look at Malcolm Butler, the Patriots defensive back who had the game-saving interception. He was a junior college product who was working at Popeyes before being reinstated to his JUCO team and later landing at West Alabama, which hardly is a football powerhouse. Now, Butler is featured in a Disney World ad that's run on a continuous loop the past two days.

Seahawks receiver Chris Matthews, who was in the early running for Super Bowl MVP honors, was unheralded coming out of high school and was working at a Foot Locker when the Seahawks called him about trying out.

Click on the gallery above for other players who were overlooked, but worked their way to football's biggest stage.